Soul Phrase
by TheChosenPerson
Summary: Time Never Waits. It delivers all equally to the same end. You, who wish to safeguard the future, however limited it may be... You will be given one year; Go forth without falter, with your heart as your guide... (A Persona 3 novelization with a few twists and turns)
1. Chapter 1

Time Never Waits. It delivers all equally to the same end.

You, who wish to safeguard the future, however limited it may be...

You will be given one year;

Go forth without falter, with your heart as your guide...

* * *

**4/6 (Night)**

Minato stared out of the window as the train rocked gently back and forth. The rhythmic shaking of the train seemed to lull Minato into a trance, as he slipped in and out of awareness. Music played through his speakers, which did well to shut out the outside noise. He glanced down at his MP3, pressing a button to light up the screen. 11:23, it read. He sighed and returned his gaze to the window. It was late. Very late. He was supposed to arrive a few hours ago, but the train had been delayed due to some malfunction in the switching system. But it didn't matter much in the end. He'd still get there. Eventually.

The train slowed until it came to a complete stop. With a loud hiss, the train doors opened up, with the few people remaining on the train shuffling off. Not him, though. His was the last stop. Iwatodai, located in Tatsumi Port Island. He frowned when he thought of the name. He hadn't been here in...10 years or so. Images flashed through his mind, and he winced as a pain shot through out his head. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, cursing himself for forgetting to drink a Yawn-B-Gone before the ride. But, he hadn't known at the time that his train would be delayed 2 hours. He shrugged, leaning his head against the metal pole to his right. He figured he could afford to take a short little nap before he reached his destination, and he couldn't possibly miss his stop. He was about to close his eyes, when something caught his eye. It was brief, but he swore that he saw something outside the window. However, there was nothing. The station was abandoned at this time of night, and any people who had been walking were nowhere in sight.

'_Get a grip, Minato,' _he thought to himself, _'You're just tired. Get some rest.'_

He was about to look away when a flash of blue appeared. Blinking, Minato gazed out of the window, trying desperately to find what was out there. When he was about to give up, he saw it. Outside, was a bright blue butterfly. A chime rang out, and he jumped. The train was about to depart, so it signaled to anyone still remaining that it was about to close its doors and be on its way. He looked back, but the blue butterfly was gone. Suddenly, visions flashed through his head. He saw a bridge, fire, an upturned car, a pure white room, and a strange man with an incredibly large nose, who seemed to stare straight into his very soul.

"Oh no, don't close, don't close!"

Minato glanced up to see a girl appear out of nowhere and barely manage to slide through the closing doors. The doors hissed, seemingly angry that she had taken so long to get on the train, and the train start moving. The girl had fallen to the floor, back against the door, breathing heavily. She looked to be around his age. She was wearing a uniform that was similar to his, black jacket and skirt, with a white buttoned shirt and a large red ribbon.

"Oh man, that was close!" She breathed, "I almost got crushed. I knew I shouldn't have been blaring my music. Silly me!"

She jumped up and brushed her skirt. She gazed into her reflection in the window, and fixed her hair. She had auburn hair, pulled back into a high ponytail. In her hair, she wore silver barrettes. Upon close inspection, they were arranged in different shapes. Two "X"s and two "I"s. Through her reflection, her crimson eyes caught his, and they stared at each other for a brief second. Her face flushed as she spun around.

"A-ah!" She squeaked, "Y-you saw that, didn't you?"

Minato nodded.

She let out an awkward laugh, uncomfortable with the fact that someone had actually seen her fall. However, any sort of discomfort quickly vanished as a large smile appeared.

"Hey, you're wearing the same uniform as me! Are you going to Gekkoukan High?"

Minato nodded again.

Somehow, her already large smile grew even larger, "Oh, that's great! My name's Asuna Yuuki. I'm going to be a second year. Let's get along well this year!"

Minato wasn't really prepared for such enthusiasm. He nodded his head at her.

"Minato Arisato"

She tilted her head, "You don't talk much, do you?"

Minato shrugged.

She giggled, "Well, I do suppose that you come across as the 'Silent and Mysterious' type. I bet a lot of girls are interested in you."

Minato quirked his eyebrow. Who was this girl? She was being very forward, given the fact that they had met only a minute ago. Asuna seemed unaware, or simply uncaring, at her overly forward behavior. She walked over and sat next to him.

"I only just transferred here, too. I assume that you're in the same boat as me, Minato-kun. Say, where are you staying? Do you have relatives here?"

Minato shook his head, "I'm living in a dorm."

A slow smile crept on Asuna's face, "You wouldn't happen to be staying at Iwatodai dorm, would you?"

Minato turned to look at her, and he saw that she triumphantly held out a pamphlet. The same pamphlet that he had, detailing the school and dorm he would be staying at. Minato stared incredulously at the piece of paper, utterly confused. This girl appeared literally out of thin air and started weaseling her way into his life.

"This is really lucky, isn't it, Minato-kun? We're going to the same school, and staying at the same dorm? I'd say it's fate. I'll have to make sure to visit the shrine and make an offering to make sure my luck stays this good!"

Minato raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. He resumed his music and shut his eyes. He didn't dislike the girl. She seemed nice, but he had to wonder if she was trying to be friends with him or was only looking for a distraction to pass away the time until they reached their destination. He had known too many girls like that in his older schools. Girls that were friendly on the outside, but were really superficial and cared only for themselves on the inside.

'_No attachments, Minato,'_ he chided himself, _'You're not staying here. You never stay. Why plant roots when the tree has to be uprooted?'_

A minute passed, and Minato couldn't help but feel that he was being watched. He knew who the culprit was, but refused to acknowledge her. Another minute passed. Nope. Another. Not gonna happen. And another. And another. Reluctantly, Minato slowly opened one eye, to see Asuna staring at him, expectantly. She met his gaze and smiled.

"What are you listening to?" Before he could decide to ignore her, she reached out and grabbed one of his headphones and put it up to her ear. She listened intently for a couple of seconds, determined to figure out what song was playing. A flash of recognition crossed her face, and she grinned, "Oh, I love this song!" She sang along quietly with the singer, swaying slightly back and forth. It looked like she didn't plan to give it back.

Minato sighed, _'It's going to be a long ride.'_

* * *

They arrived at the station at 11:50. Minato walked at a brisk pace, with Asuna following closely behind. She made idle chit-chat, but Minato had ignored her, favoring his music. They walked through the deserted station, eager to get to their destination. As they approached the exit, Minato checked his phone. The time was 11:59. They weren't going to make it to their destination for another half hour, at least. Sighing, he jammed his phone back into his pocket. He continued walking.

Suddenly, a sudden chill washed over him. Before he could react, the music stopped. He stopped dead in his tracks. He glanced down and examined his MP3. It was off. He tried pressing the play button a few times, but it stayed off. Minato could have sworn that he had charged it before the trip. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his arm. He turned to face Asuna, who was looking around worriedly.

'_Which means that she felt that too.'_

Minato looked at the station, which had suddenly turned an eerie shade of green. All of the electronics were off, and the walls and floor seemed to be covered in a strange filth. Minato didn't like this at all. He needed to get out of here. Was this only place like this or...

Despite his misgivings about her, Minato grabbed Asuna's hand, "Let's go." She followed without a word.

As they stepped out of the station, Minato's worst fear had been confirmed. It wasn't just the station that seemed to change. No, in fact, the whole world seemed different. Coffin-like objects were lining the deserted city, and the sky had that same eerie green color. And the moon. The moon was large, larger than Minato had ever seen. In fact, he assumed that it wasn't supposed to be this large. It wasn't quite full, but it was still a sight to behold.

"W-w-what the heck is going on?" Asuna's voice brought him out of his trance. He glanced at her, and she was obviously frightened by this ghastly sight. She started off down the road, this time pulling Minato, "Come on, we should get to the dorm. And quickly."

After walking for short time, they had managed to make it to the dorm. They quickly entered inside, eager to leave the horrors of the outside world. Asuna let out a sigh of relief as Minato shut the door behind them. The dorm looked quite normal from the outside, considering, and it seemed quite normal on the inside. There was a small lounge with a few couches and chairs, a large table with many chairs, and what looked like an entrance to a kitchen. Minato noticed a light switch, and tried flicking it up and down. No good, the power was still out.

"Welcome!"

Minato and Asuna jumped at the voice. In front of them, sitting on table, was a small boy. The boy had pale skin and striking blue eyes, and was wearing a black and white stripped outfit. He smiled at Minato.

"You're late," he chided, "I've been waiting a long time."

Minato continued to stare at the boy. Suddenly, the boy pulled out a slip of paper and held it out to Minato.

"If you want to proceed, then please sign here. It's a contract."

Minato eyed the paper wearily, trying to read what was on it, but at this distance and in the dark, it was impossible to make out. But, what was it for? For staying at the dorm?

The boy could sense Minato's hesitation, and giggled, "There's no need to be scared. It only binds you to accepting full responsibility for your actions."

Minato's eyes widened. What? Was this for real? It was just one weird thing after another. Minato took the contract and read it. He expected a long document, detailing standard procedures for living in a dorm, but in reality, it was a single sheet of paper, with a single sentence on it.

"I chooseth this fate of mine own free will."

Below was a blank line for his signature. Minato turned the paper over, trying to see if there was anything else on the paper. There wasn't. Just that sentence. He looked at the boy, who offered him a pen and a smile.

'_Why do I feel like I'm signing away my soul?' _Minato thought as he read the sentence over and over gain

"Um... Don't I have to sign a contract, too?" asked Asuna.

The boy cocked his head, and thought for moment, but shook his head, "No, only he has to."

Asuna looked at Minato, worry etched across her face. Minato was surprised that she was so concerned about him, and he felt like he had to reassure her.

"I'll sign it." He grabbed the paper out of the little boys hand and shot Asuna a reassuring glance, "Don't worry. It'll be fine." Minato signed his name and returned the contract to the boy. The boy smiled as he took the form.

"Time is something no one can escape. It delivers us all to the same end. Wishing won't make it go away."

The boy lifted the form into the air and lowered his hand, but the paper remained in the air. The form spun, and as it spun, vanished into nothingness. The boy leapt off the table and rocked on his heels.

"And so it begins..."

And with that, the boy vanished, like the contract. Minato and Asuna stared at the space where the boy was. They looked at each other, trying to figure out what the hell was happening. Suddenly, someone ran down the stares into the lobby.

"...Who's there!?"

Minato and Asuna jumped and stared at a girl in a pink jacket. She had brown hair and eyes. She was wearing a skirt, that was almost painfully short, and Minato had a hard time not staring at her legs. She was scared, and her hand was shaking. She stared back at the two, disbelief in her eyes.

"How can you be... But it's...! Don't tell me..."

Her hand twitched and went for something on her leg. It looked like... a gun. Minato started to panic and heard Asuna take in a sharp breath. She had seen the gun, too.

"Wait!"

Another voice rang out from upstairs. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Minato lowered his stance, ready to dive out of the way, Asuna took a step back, and the girl reached for the gun.

Suddenly, the lights flickered on and Minato had to shut his eyes due to the sudden, blinding light. Music blared from his headphones, which caused Asuna to squeak in surprise. Minato hastily reached for his MP3 and paused the song. Another girl had joined them. She had long, elegant red hair and wore a similar uniform to everyone. She gave Minato and Asuna a warm smile.

"I'm sorry, I didn't think you two would arrive so late. My name is Mitsuru Kirijo. I'm one of the students who live in this dorm."

The pink jacket girl shifted uncomfortably, warily eyeing Minato and Asuna, "Who're they?" she whispered.

"They're transfer students. It was a last minute descision to assign them here. They'll eventually be moved to a room in a normal dorm."

The girl was relaxed, but was still wary of the two. She leaned closer to Mitsuru, "...Is it okay for them to be here?"

Mitsuru smiled, "I guess we'll see." She turned from the girl and faced the two transfer students, "This is Yukari Takeba. She'll be a second year, just like you."

Yukari gave a tentative wave, "Hello."

Asuna, to her credit, no longer seemed to be fazed by the events of the night and smiled, "I'm Asuna Yuuki. Nice to meet you."

Minato gave a curt nod, "I'm Minato Arisato." His gaze fell lower to the gun holstered on Yukari's leg. He was tempted to let this go, but he needed to make sense of at least one thing tonight, "Why do you have a gun?"

Asuna gave him a small shove, voicing her displeasure at the fact that he had asked such a blunt question, but Minato noticed the hint of doubt flash in her eyes. She wanted to know, too.

Yukari's eyes widened, "Huh?" She pulled at her skirt and started to fidget, "Um, well, it's..."

Mitsuru could sense her discomfort, and jumped to her rescue, "It's for self-defense. We've had a number of break ins in the neighborhood recently, and we can't take a change. But, don't worry. It's not a real gun, of course."

Minato stared at the gun for a few more seconds, and slowly nodded. It was an obvious excuse, one that was plainly rehearsed, but he didn't press the matter any further. Mitsuru sensed this as well, and proceeded to turn towards the stairs.

"It's getting late. Arisato, you'll find your room on the second floor, at the end of the hall. Yuuki, yours is at the end of the hall on the third floor. Both of your things should be here. I suggest you tuck in for the night." And with that, she ascended the stairs with a grace that seemed to suit her perfectly.

Yukari paused for a second, but turned and smiled at the two transfer students, "Well, I'll show you the way. Follow me."

Asuna started, but Minato grabbed her sleeve to stop her. She started to turn, but Minato leaned close to her.

"Don't mention what happened tonight to Takeba-san."

Asuna blinked, and was about to say something, but decided against it. She nodded, and ran to catch up to Yukari, who was waiting on the stairs for them. Minato followed after them. They walked down the hall and stopped outside a door, which Minato assumed was his room. He walked up to it and opened it, glancing inside.

"Pretty easy to remember, huh? ...Since it's right at the end of the hall." Yukari was obviously trying to ease the tensions, but seemed to only add to the silence that filled the dorm. She looked at the two transfer students, "So, any questions?"

Minato looked to Asuna, who stared back at him. They maintained eye contact for a brief instant, then both of them shook their heads.

"No, we're good, Yukari-san. Thank you, though." answered Asuna.

Yukari smiled, but then grew serious. She started to fidget and look around. She leaned in and spoke in a hushed voice, "Um... Can I ask you two something? On your way here from the station, was everything okay?"

Minato spoke up almost instantly, "Yes."

Yukari stared at Minato warily, but shook her head, "I see... Never mind then." She started to walk away, but stops, "Um, I'm sure you still have other questions, but let's save them for later, okay?"

Minato nods as Yukari heads up the stairs. Now, the only people left were Asuna and Minato alone. She turns back from watching Yukari leave and gives Minato a smile, "Well, Minato-kun, it looks like this is going to be an interesting year, huh?"

Minato nodded.

She giggles, "You only use words when you have to, don't you? Well, I'm going to change that. You'll open up to me before the year is through. I'm making it my official mission."

Despite himself, Minato chuckled, "Goodnight, Asuna-san."

Asuna blinked, and her cheeks gained a hint of red, which vanished as quickly as it appeared. She gave the smile that Minato was growing used to seeing on her face, "Goodnight, Minato-kun." And she was gone up the stairs.

Minato entered his room and closed the door. It was a small room. There was a bed, a TV, a desk and chair, a mirror and sink, and a shelf. Posters adorned the wall, ones that he hadn't put up, and assumed were left by the previous tenant. As Mitsuru had said, all of his stuff was here. Though, he hadn't packed much. He was used to moving all over the country, and packing light was essential. He couldn't afford to get tied down, physically and emotionally. He didn't know how long he'd stay in Tatsumi Port Island, but he knew that he would one day have to leave. He discarded his clothes and hung them in his closet. He climbed in bed, exhausted from the day's strange events. He reached over to his bedside table, where he had placed his MP3. He glanced at the screen. Yes, he was right. He had fully charged his MP3 before the trip. It didn't die when he got here. No, the power had gone out. Not just plugged in electronics, as he had originally assumed, but all technology seemed to stop. He hadn't checked his phone, but he assumed it was the same. He shut off his MP3 and stared at his ceiling. Something was definitely up, and he knew that Yukari and Mitsuru were hiding something, but what, he couldn't say. What _had_ happened on the way to the dorm? Who was that boy and what was the deal with that contract? Why had he had to sign it, and not Asuna?

Asuna.

"It looks like this is going to be an interesting year, indeed."

* * *

**A/N: Well... this was entirely unexpected. I was playing some Persona 3 Portable when I got the sudden urge to write this. Crazy right? I haven't written something in one sitting...ever! That's just the power of the Wild Card, it seems. I plan on making this a full series, and, like the game, it's gonna get off to a slow start. How do you feel about a Male MC AND Female MC? What is their relation to one another? Well, it's all explained later. So, hopefully, I'll be able to finish this story in less than 5 years, but, knowing me, who can say! Anyways, Enjoy! Read and Review! And, as always, Good Night, and Good luck!**


	2. Chapter 2

**4/7 (Early Morning)**

Minato awoke to the sound of his phone buzzing. He reached out and fumbled around blindly to find the disturbance, and after knocking a few things off of his nightstand, he managed to grab his phone. He flipped it open and turned off the alarm. He chucked his phone onto the floor, angered that he had been disturbed from his peaceful slumber. Minato was a very tired person, and more often than not, he would often doze off multiple times during the day. In some of his old schools, teachers had tried to punish him when they caught him sleeping in their class by asking him questions about their lecture, but, to their displeasure, Minato always knew the answer. After a couple of times, the teachers seemed to give up and let Minato sleep whenever he wished. After a couple of minutes of trying to go back to sleep, he remembered that it was his first day at a new school, and being late would cause a lot of problems down the road. So, with a groan, he huffed himself out of bed and started to get ready for the day.

The memories of last night came back to Minato as he brushed his teeth. The butterfly, Asuna, the strange city, the mysterious boy, the contract, and the dorm incident. Was it a dream? Had he been so tired that he imagined it all? He had read somewhere that sleep deprived people sometimes hallucinate, but Minato knew that it was wishful thinking on his part. He knew that what had happened last night was real, and that it was important that he figure out what was going on.

There was a knock at the door as Minato finished putting on his uniform.

"Minato-kun?" asked the voice, "Are you awake?"

Minato sighed. This was just what he needed in the morning. He walked over to the door and cracked it open, so only his eye could be seen by the girl standing on the other side.

Asuna stood in the hall, already in her uniform and ready to start the day. She gave Minato a smile as he peered at her.

"Morning! Did you sleep okay? I saw Mitsuru-senpai this morning, and she said that Yukari is going to take us to school. It's getting late, so I came to get you!"

Minato blinked, and proceeded to shut the door.

Asuna made a noise and started banging on the door, but her protests were silenced as Minato stepped out a few seconds later with his bag slung over his shoulder. He gave her a look, and she blushed.

"I thought..." she started, but Minato was already halfway down the hall.

"You're going to be late if you keep standing around, Asuna-san."

Asuna huffed and chased Minato down the stairs, swinging her bag at him. Yukari was sitting on one of the couches, playing with her phone. She stood to greet them as they came towards her. Asuna greeted her in return, while Minato only nodded. The three left the dorm as Yukari led them towards the train station. Minato hadn't had a good chance to look over the neighborhood, given the circumstances of the previous, so today he took in all that he could. The area looked like a quiet neighborhood, and a few dorms could be found here and there. Overall, quite different from how it was yesterday. He returned his attention to the two girls he was with, only to find them making small talk. Losing interest, he put on his headphones and let the music envelop him. After walking for a short while, they made it to the train, which they boarded. The train ride was uneventful, with Minato dosing off every couple of minutes and Yukari and Asuna talking. A half hour later, they had arrived at their destination and proceeded to school. Another half hour of walking. Too much walking for Minato's liking, but he had no choice. Finally, they had arrived outside the school gates.

Yukari turned to face them, "Well, this is it. We're here. Welcome to Gekkoukan High School. Hope you like it."

Gekkoukan was a sight to behold. They had been able to see it from the water, and even from that distance, the school was impressive. It was a large, state-of-the-art building with a sleek design. Most of the schools Minato had been to weren't even a third of the size as this building. Whoever funded this must be seriously wealthy if they could afford this monstrosity.

"Wow, it's amazing," Asuna exclaimed, "Don't you think so, Minato-kun?"

Minato shrugged, "Yeah, I suppose."

Asuna giggled, "That's as good as a compliment as this school's going to get."

The three entered the building and changed their shoes. Yukari remembered what Mitsuru had told her earlier this morning.

"You're okay from here, right?" She asked the two, "You should go see your homeroom teacher first. The Faculty Office is right there to the left. ...And that concludes the tour. Do you have any questions before I go?"

Asuna raised her hand, as if this was an actual tour and Yukari was an actual tour guide. At first, Yukari was confused, but she quickly caught on and giggled, "Yes, what's your question?"

"What class are you in, Yukari?"

Yukari cocked her head, "Me? I dunno... I haven't looked at the classroom assignments yet. They're right over there. You should go check."

Asuna nodded and went over. Minato was about to follow her, but Yukari grabbed him.

"Hey," she whispered, "About last night... Don't tell anyone what you saw, okay? ...See ya later."

Yukari left and Minato joined Asuna at the bulletin board. She had pointed out to him that their names were attached on a slip of paper at the bottom, and that they were in 2-F. Minato read the names of the other students in 2-F. They were all names that meant nothing to him. Except for one. Yukari Takeba.

'_So, she's in the same class, huh?'_

"Wow, we're even in the same class? This is kinda freaky, Minato-kun. It's like we're bound by fate."

Minato shrugged, "Or maybe it's a curse."

Asuna huffed and puffed her cheeks, "That's mean."

Minato motioned towards a hallway, "Come on, we need to go to the faculty office."

Asuna nodded, but was still pouting. Minato knew that she wasn't going to let this go for a little while. They walked down the corridor, looking at all the different rooms. Finally, they found the Faculty Office sign, and slid open the door. The room was empty, save for a middle aged woman sitting at a desk, reading over some files. The sound of the door opening caught her attention as she saw the two students enter.

"Oh, are you the new students?"

They nodded.

The woman hummed and started flipping through pages in the file she had been looking at, "I see. Asuna Yuuki. 11th grade. Lived with your uncle for a while, moved here due to parents. I see, I see. And you, Minato Arisato. 11th grade also. Wow, you've lived in a lot of different places... Let's see... in 1999... That was what, ten years ago? Your parents-" She gasped and stared at him, "I'm sorry... I've been so busy, I didn't have time to read these beforehand. I'm Ms. Toriumi. I teach Composition. Welcome to our school."

Asuna gave her a bright smile, "Nice to meet you!"

Minato gave her a nod, "Thanks"

"Have you seen the classroom assignment?" They nodded, "2-F is my class. But first, we need to go to the auditorium. The Welcoming Ceremony will be starting soon. Follow me.

Ms. Toriumi left the office and Minato and Asuna followed. As they walked toward the auditorium, Minato felt a tug on his sleeve.

"Hey, Minato-kun, Sensei mentioned something that happened ten years ago to you. What was it?"

Minato's eyes widened for split second as the memories of that night returned to him. He forced them back into the recesses of his mind.

"It's...complicated."

Asuna could sense his obvious discomfort, "Oh! I didn't mean... You don't have to tell me, Minato-kun. Forget I even asked."

Minato gave her a small smile, "Thank you, Asuna-san."

She smiled at him and they continue the walk to the auditorium in silence.

After they had taken their seats, the principal started his speech. Fifteen minutes passed and he started to drone on and on about this and that. Minato had stopped paying attention a minute into his speech, and was trying to stay awake, partially because he didn't want to get yelled at, but mostly because every time that his head tipped forward, Asuna jabbed her elbow into his ribs.

'_For a girl that smiles a lot, she sure it violent.' _Thought Minato as he rubbed his side.

Now the Principal was talking about jobs and how they are worth doing well. He felt a tap on his shoulder, and for a brief moment tensed, waiting for another jab, but realized that it had come from his other side, the one Asuna was not on. He turned to see a student behind him leaning forward in his chair.

"Psst...You came to school with Yukari this morning, right? I saw you two walking together. Do you know if she has a boyfriend?"

Minato shrugged, "I don't know."

The boy slowly nodded his head, "Oh, I see. I thought you might know, but... I guess not. ...So, how well do you know her?"

But the boy never got his answer, as Minato turned back around, only to dose off once more. The sharp pain of his bruising ribs woke him up, and Minato made the smart decision to remain awake for the rest of the speech.

* * *

**(After School)**

The seat assignment placed Minato in the middle column, second row on the right. And Asuna? Middle column, second row on the left. She made another comment about "fate" and "destiny", but Minato chose to ignore it

'_This girl keeps following me in every aspect of my life. Who the hell is she?'_

Minato was just about to get up to leave when a boy in a purple hat came over to his desk.

"S'up, dude? How's it going?"

Minato stared at the boy, "Who are you?"

The boy grinned, "Me? I'm Junpei Iori. Nice to meet ya. I transferred here when I was in middle school. I know how tough it is bein' the new kid... So I wanted to say, 'hey.'" He chuckled, "See what a nice guy I am!"

Asuna giggled to his left, "Wow, Minato-kun, looks like you're super popular, and it's our first day. I'm kinda jealous." Her giggling turned into a full blown laugh, which drew the attention of a few other students.

Junpei suddenly hopped over Minato's desk and sat on it, "Why, hello there, miss! The name's Junpei Iori? And what, may I ask, is your name?"

Asuna's laughter subsided, "I'm Asuna Yuuki"

Before Junpei could reply, the classroom doors opened and in walked Yukari. Junpei perked up, "Hey, it's Yuka-tan! I didn't think we'd be in the same class again."

Yukari groaned as she walked over to her desk, which was right in front of Minato's, "At it again, huh? I swear, you'll talk to anyone if they'll listen. Did you ever think that you might be bothering Asuna-chan?"

'_What about me?' _thought Minato.

Junpei looked aghast, "What? But, I was just being friendly, ain't that right, Asuna-tan?"

Asuna giggled, "Right! He seems like a nice guy."

Yukari looked doubtful, and turned to Minato, "Looks like we're in the same homeroom."

Minato shrugged, "It must be fate."

Asuna's leg shot out and caught Minato's shin, though he chose to ignore the pain.

Yukari giggled, "Fate? Yeah, right. Still, I'm a little surprised."

"Um, hello? Are you forgetting that I'm in this class too?" Junpei interjected, "By the way, I heard you two came to school together this morning. What's up with that? C'mon, gimme the dirt!"

Yukari's eyes widened, "Wh-what are you talking about!? We live in the same dorm. The three of us. Why isn't she part of the rumor? There's nothing going on, okay? Why are people even talking about it!? Now you have me worried." She gave Minato a wary look, "You didn't say anything to anyone about... you know what, did you?"

Minato shook his head and Yukari let out a sigh of relief, "Okay, good. Seriously... Don't say anything about last night, alright?"

Junpei shot up off Minato's desk and looked at the two of them incredulously. Yukari noticed the stare, and shifted uncomfortably under Junpei's gaze.

"Wh-what?"

"L-last night...?" He croaked.

It took Yukari a couple of seconds to comprehend what Junpei was saying, but then it dawned on her, "W-wait a minute! Don't get the wrong idea! Listen! I just met them yesterday, and there is absolutely nothing going on between Minato-kun and I!" She grabbed her bag from her desk, "Geez... I've gotta go. I've got something to take care of for the archery team." She walked towards the door, but stopped and glared at Junpei, "You better not start any rumors!" And she was gone.

Junpei let out a groan as he fell back into his own seat, "Ah, who cares? No one takes rumors seriously, anyway. She's so paranoid... But, hey! It's your first day here, and people are already talkin' about you! Believe it or not, she's actually pretty popular." He leaned forward and slapped Minato on the back, "You da man!" He started to chuckle, "This is gonna be a fun year. I can feel it!"

* * *

**4/7 (Evening)**

Mitsuru sat in the lounge reading one of her many books. The new transfer students had returned a short while ago, and she had directed them to go up to their rooms and retire for the night. They agreed and with a short farewell, they ascended the stairs to go to their respective rooms. She remembered her conversation with the Chairman earlier today. Those two obviously had the potential. How else could they have traversed the town? But, they seemed oddly calm about it. When most normal people experience it, they are left disoriented and exhausted. But not them. They seemed fine. She did regret having the cameras installed in their rooms, but it was a necessary evil. They were fighting a war, after all. The prospect of not only one, but two, potential users had given her a hope that she hadn't had in a long time. With there numbers, they'd finally be able to start exploring _THAT_ place.

The sounds of footsteps caught her attention. A young man with white hair was descending the stairs, jacket flung over his shoulder.

'_How typical of him,' she thought._

"I'm going out," he announced.

Mitsuru raised an eyebrow.

The student groaned, "Didn't you see the newspaper? There's a lot going on."

Mitsuru sighed, "I know. People who had problems before are suddenly developing acute cases of Apathy Syndrome... I've seen it in the news quite often lately. They say it's due to stress, but..."

Mitsuru trailed off, but the other student simply grinned, "Yeah, it has to be THEM. Otherwise, it's not worth my time..."

"You have a one-track mind..." She couldn't help but feel worried, "Will you be okay on your own? The Chairman will be here for the next few days, but after that, I can..."

The student waved his hand, "Don't worry. I'm just getting a little practice." And with that, he left.

Mitsuru looked down at her book and sighed, "This isn't a game, Akihiko..."

* * *

**4/8 (Evening)**

Minato walked back to the dorm after an uneventful day at class. Any rumors about his relationship with Yukari had died out, and for that, he was grateful. He never enjoyed being the center of attention. Junpei had taken it upon himself to show Asuna the town, so she left school with him, leaving Minato to trudge home alone. He didn't mind, but he couldn't stop noticing how quiet it was without Asuna's chatter, and he found himself strangely missing it. He decided to stop at Iwatodai station and walk around for a little bit. He had time to kill until he had to report back to the dorm. There was a strange curfew in effect. He was required to return in the evening, but afterwards he was free to go about his business and go back out if he so chose. He was still getting used to Port Island, so he just went to bed whenever he returned.

After walking around the Strip Mall for a while, he decided that it was time to return. Thankfully, he didn't have to walk far, so he made it back to the dorm before the sun completely set. When he entered, he saw that Yukari and Asuna had also returned and were sitting on one of the couches. However, with them was someone who Minato had never met before. The sophisticated gentleman was making idle conversation with Asuna. Yukari noticed that Minato had returned, and stood up to greet him.

"You're back."

The sophisticated gentleman stood up as well and walked over towards Minato, "So, this is our other new guest. Good evening. My name is Shuji Ikutsuki. I'm the Chairman of the Board for your school." He paused, and seemed to be contemplating something, "'Ikutsuki'... Hard to say, isn't it? I don't like introducing myself, you see. Even I get tongue-tied sometimes..." He chuckled and gestured towards the couch, "Please, have a seat."

Minato nodded and sat down next to Yukari, across from Asuna.

"I've already talked to Asuna about this, but I apologize about the confusion regarding your accommodations. It is going to take a while longer before you receive a proper room assignment. Is there anything you'd like to ask?"

'_Yeah, what the hell is going on in this town? Why did the sky turn green? Where were all the people, and why were there coffins everywhere? What's the deal with all technology shutting off? Why would Yukari need to have a gun in a relatively safe neighborhood? Who was that boy? Why did I have to sign a contract? Why...?'_

Minato shook his head, "No, I'm good."

Ikutsuki seemed pleased, "Excellent! Then, I hope you have a successful school year. Now, if you'll excuse me..." He stood to leave, "You both must still be tired from all the excitement. You should go to bed early. As they say, 'The early bird catches the bookworm!'"

The room fell silent as they stared at Ikutsuki, who gave an awkward cough, "...Please forgive the bad pun." He started laughing as he left.

When he was gone, Yukari groaned, "Don't worry," she said, "you'll get used to his lame jokes."

Asuna giggled, "I don't know. I thought it was kinda funny."

The other two students stared at her, wondering if there was something wrong with her.

* * *

**(Late Night)**

Yukari couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. She was previously against the idea of reading about both Minato's and Asuna's lives. It felt invasive and rude to her, but Ikutsuki had assured her that she needed to learn about her potential partners. She had agreed, but not happily. Asuna's file had seemed normal enough. Her parents had moved around a lot, so to afford her the necessary stability, she had lived with her uncle for a number of years. However, her parents had insisted that she move to Port Island to continue her education and live on her own as an adult. Other than that, her file seemed pretty average. She was popular, had good grades, and was involved with tennis at her old school. Yukari enjoyed talking to her, and she could see them becoming friends somewhere down the road.

Minato's file had shocked her. He had lived here previously, but had left in 1999, due to an accident. While leaving Port Island, there was a car accident on the Moonlight Bridge. A few people had died that night, including both of Minato's parents. Afterwards, he had been moved around from foster home to foster home, until he was finally dumped here. He was an odd one, she realized. He had above average grades, though, from what she had gathered in class, he slept all the time. Despite the fact that he seemed disinterested in most things, he was surprisingly sharp.

'_He's the same as me,' _she thought, _'He lost his parents too. Dad...'_

She would have been fine with just the files, but after they had arrived at the dorm, she had learned that Ikutsuki had intended to monitor them as they slept. Her stomach dropped when she entered the command room to find Asuna and Minato up on the screen, both sleeping peacefully in their rooms, blissfully unaware of the three people watching and recording their every action.

"How're they doing?" inquired Ikutsuki.

Mitsuru pressed a few buttons, "They went to bed a little while ago. They're both asleep." She stared at the monitors, "Mr. Chairman, do you think they're...?"

Ikutsuki rubbed his chin, "Well, let's wait and see for now. The Dark Hour approaches."

The clock struck midnight, and had started to chime. However, it suddenly stopped. Yukari shuddered as a chill ran down her spine. It was now the Dark Hour. The monitor remained on, and both Asuna and Minato were in their beds, asleep.

"They're still sleeping," Ikutsuki observed, "The Dark Hour is normally hidden, and ordinary people transmogrify into coffins. They are totally oblivious to the outside world."

Yukari understood what Ikutsuki was getting at, "That means..."

Ikutsuki nodded, "As you can see, they retained their human form. They are experiencing the Dark Hour, although they are still sleeping. But, the question still remains. Do they have the potential? They must, or at least one of them does, or else they would have been preyed upon." Ikutsuki seemed to contemplate this for a few seconds. He stood up, "In any case, we continue monitoring them for a few more days."

Yukari couldn't contain her displeasure in silence any longer, "Are you sure this okay? I don't like spying on them."

Ikutsuki didn't answer her, mumbling something as he left. Yukari sighed and returned her attention to the monitor.

'_I have to tell him,'_ she decided, _'I'm going to tell him about Dad. But, when...'_

* * *

Minato heard a voice calling to him. He opened his eyes, but found that he was no longer in his room. He was standing in front of a very elaborate blue door.

'_The same color as that butterfly,'_ he mused.

He opened the door and stepped inside. The room was very large and covered in chains. A large clock was mounted on the wall, both hands continuously spinning. He could see that the room was ascending, almost like an elevator. Then, Minato's gaze fell to the man in the center of the room. He looked quite odd, and Minato couldn't help but stare at his long nose.

The man looked up from the desk in front of him and smiled, "Welcome to the Velvet Room, my dear young man. My name is Igor. I am delighted to make your acquaintance."

He gestured to his left, and suddenly, a woman appeared from behind his rather large chair.

"This is Elizabeth. She's a resident here, like myself."

Elizabeth bowed, "Pleased to meet you."

"This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter... It's been years since we've had a guest."

Igor waved his hand and suddenly, a piece of paper appeared out of thin air. Minato tensed as he recognized the paper. It was the form that he had signed at the dorm.

Igor went on, "Only those who have signed the contract can enter this place. Henceforth, you shall be welcome here in the Velvet Room. You are destine to hone your unique ability, and you will require my help to do so. I only ask one thing in return."

Minato swallowed, "And what's that?"

Igor's smile grew larger, "That you abide by the contract, and assume responsibility for the choices that you make."

Minato stared blankly at the form and slowly nodded, "I understand."

Igor waved his hand again, and the contract vanished, and in it's place appeared a key. It floated over to Minato, who took it.

"Hold on to this." said Igor.

Suddenly, Minato's vision began to blur. He tried blinking a few times, but his vision got worse. He felt tired, as wave after wave of exhaustion washed over him. He felt like he was slipping, falling. He tried to move, but his body refused to respond. His senses were failing and he was losing himself. As the darkness closed in around him, he saw Igor's smile.

"Until we meet again..."

Minato shot up out of bed, gasping for air. He quickly looked around, and relaxed when he realized that he was back in his room. He ran a hand through his hair and covered his eyes, struggling to regain his breath.

'_It was just a dream,' he reassured himself, 'A weird dream. You probably had too much ramen. That's it.'_

He felt a cold, metal object press into his palm. His heart stopped as he slowly unclenched his fingers to find an ornate key resting on his hand. It was the same key that the strange man had given him. In his dream.

'_What the hell is going on in this town?'_

* * *

**4/9 (Dark Hour)**

Just as they had yesterday, Mitsuru, Yukari, and Ikutsuki sat in the control room, monitoring the two newest residents. And, just as the previous night, they had remained in their human form as they shifted into the Dark Hour.

Mitsuru was the first to speak, "...The same as last night."

Ikutsuki tapped his chin, "Hmm... Very interesting. They seem stable. No memory loss or disorientation. They haven't exhibited any of the common symptoms. Very unique."

"We're treating them like guinea pigs." accused Yukari.

Ikutsuki sighed and rubbed his eyes, "I understand your concern, Yukari, but it's imperative that we recruit new members. I've heard that they are your classmates, and you've been on good terms with Asuna. Wouldn't you be more comfortable working with someone from the same grade?"

Yukari winced as Ikutsuki touched on a touchy subject, unintentional or not. She shot a quick glance at Mitsuru, who wasn't facing them. Her shoulders fell in reluctant acceptance.

"Yeah, I guess. But, still..."

A beep from the panel caused Yukari to jump. Mitsuru rapidly pressed a number of buttons, and a picture of Akihiko appeared on the screen. He was running, panting heavily, and holding one arm.

Mitsuru gasped, "Akihiko, is that you?"

"You're not going to believe this," he yelled over the transceiver, "but this thing is huge. Unfortunately, I don't have time to talk. It's chasing me... I wanted to let you guys know that I'm almost there." And the transmission shut off.

Yukari's eyes widened, "Wait, does that mean... He's bringing that thing here!?"

Mitsuru jumped up and started to gather some equipment, "Mr. Chairman! Let's suspend our observation for now. We'll prepare for battle!"

Ikutsuki started to shake, "R-right! Be careful!" And he ran to the monitor and started to input a number of commands to the machine.

Yukari and Mitsuru grabbed their supplies and ran downstairs. As they reached the second floor, they heard the door to the lobby open and slam shut. They ran into the lounge to find Akihiko leaning on the door, breathing heavily as sweat poured down his face. He was clutching his arm, and traces of blood could be seen dripping down his arm.

"Akihiko!" Mitsuru ran up and kneeled before Akihiko. She gave him a quick once-over, and lightly touched his arm, which caused him to hiss. Mitsuru and Yukari gave him a worried look, but he waved them off.

"I'm fine," he barked, "Get ready to be surprised. It'll be here any second."

Mitsuru shot him a disapproving look, "This is no time to joke around!"

The ground started to shake, and Yukari jumped.

"Ahh! What the...!? You've got to be kidding me!"

Mitsuru reached down and pulled out a gun, "Takeba, go upstairs and wake them up! Then, go up to the roof."

Yukari didn't budge, looking at Akihiko, "But, what about you two?"

Mitsuru turned towards the door, "We'll stop it here." She looked down at Akihiko, "You lead it here, so I'm afraid you'll have to fight."

Akihiko jumped up and drew a gun of his own, "Like I had a choice." He turned to find Yukari rooted to the same spot. She looked terrified, "What are you waiting for, Yukari? GO!"

Yukari jumped again, then ran up the stairs.

* * *

Minato woke up to a loud bang. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he heard a commotion down the hall. Concerned, he started to get dressed when he heard a frantic knock on his door.

"Wake up! Sorry, I'm coming in!"

Yukari unlocked his door and ran in. She was surprised to see Minato awake, but shook her head.

"I'm sorry, but I don't have time to explain. We have to get Asuna-chan and get out of here. Now!"

Minato didn't argue and ran out the door with her. They quickly ascended the stairs to the third floor to find Asuna dressed and standing in the hall, looking around worriedly. Yukari ran up to her and gave a similar explanation to the one she had told Minato. Asuna looked frightened, but nodded and the three of them ascended the stairs. On the fourth floor, Yukari ran over to a metal door and flung it open. Minato and Asuna followed and found themselves on the roof of the dorm. When all three of them had made it through. Yukari slammed the door and fiddled around with some keys, locking the door. She shook it a few times, making sure it was locked. When she was absolutely sure, she let out a breath.

"I think we're okay for now."

A beep rang out from Yukari's ear, and she yelled in surprise. Despite his distance, he could still make out Mitsuru's voice from the ear piece.

"Takeba, do you read me!?"

"Y-Yes! I hear you!"

"Be careful! There's more than one enemy! The one we just fought isn't the one Akihiko saw!"

"What!?"

Suddenly, the entire dorm shook. The three stumbled and tried to get their footing. The shaking stopped. Then, a roar echoed from down below. Everyone slowly turned around to see a large, black hand rise from below and grab the side of the dorm. Then another hand appeared. And another. More and more hands appeared. Suddenly, a strange blue mask shot up. The hand that was holding it moved it around, surveying the roof. It locked on to the students and all of the arms pulled it up. The creature was made entirely of arms. One of its arms was holding the mask, while a couple of others were holding needle-like weapons. It slowly crawled over towards them, as they backed towards the other ledge.

"Those monsters... We call them Shadows!"

Minato turned to Yukari, who was holding the gun that she had almost drawn on their first night at the dorm. However, instead of pointing it at the creature, she had pointed it towards her head. She pressed the barrel into her forehead.

"Y-Yukari!" Asuna screamed, "What are you doing?"

"I have to fight," muttered Yukari, "I... I can summon mine... No problem..."

She pressed the gun harder into her forehead, shaking. She gripped the gun, but didn't shoot. The Shadow, sensing her hesitance, shot out an arm and smacked Yukari across the roof. She hit the floor and slide a few feet. Asuna yelled and ran over to her. Minato stared at where Yukari had once stood. Everything was happening so quickly. He started to move, but his foot hit something. He glanced down and saw the gun that Yukari had had. He reached down and picked it up. It felt lighter than he had thought it was. It was also cold to the touch. His attention returned to the Shadow, who had turned towards Yukari and Asuna. Minato's stomach fell. It was going to attack again.

'_I have to do something. But what can I do against this thing? I'm helpless. I need help...! I need power...! I need...!'_

* * *

Mitsuru and Akihiko had dispatched of the Shadow in the lobby without too much trouble. Akihiko looked bad, gripping his arm where a Shadow had grabbed it. Much to their horror, they learned that this Shadow was not the one that Akihiko had faced. Once the Shadow was dead, Mitsuru and Akihiko had ran back to the command room, and found Ikutsuki watching the monitor. As they drew near, they saw what was going on. Yukari had taken Minato and Asuna to the roof, and suddenly a very large Shadow had climbed over the ledge and onto the roof. Yukari drew her gun, but before she could use it, the Shadow easily batted her away, and Asuna had ran after her.

Akihiko cursed, "Damn! That's the one. Let's go Mitsuru!"

Mitsuru nodded, and started towards the door.

"Wait!"

The two third-years turned towards Ikutsuki, who was pointing at the monitor.

"What on earth is that...!?"

* * *

Time seemed to slow down. Minato looked over to Asuna and Yukari. Yukari was lying on the roof, while Asuna was kneeling over her, shaking her and begging her to get up. Then, behind them, he saw the boy from the other night. He smiled at Minato and gestured towards the gun in his hand.

"Go on..."

The boy made a gun with this fingers and raised it to his head. He then shot himself with the finger gun and smiled.

Minato found himself doing the same. He raised the gun to his temple. His breath was ragged. His throat was dry. The steel felt ice cold against his head. His finger moved to the trigger, hovering over it. His hand was shaking. His whole body was shaking. He was going to die. He was going to shoot himself and he was going to die. He was going to die. He was going to die.

An image of Igor flashed in his mind, smiling like a mad man. Then, the car accident. The fire. The Velvet Room. The boy. The contract. The butterfly. Asuna. The graveyard. The hospital. Asuna. His parents. Asuna. The moon. Asuna. Asuna.

His mind went blank. And there was a word.

A single word.

"Per...so...na."

Minato pulled the trigger.

And Minato died.

And Minato was born.

Power coursed throughout his body as he let out a cry of anguish. A blue light surrounded him. Then, above him, an odd looking being appeared above him. It was part man, part machine. It had snowy white hair and hard, crimson eyes. On it's back was a large lyre. The entity spoke in a voice that sounded like Minato's.

"Thou art I, and I am thou. From the sea of thy soul I cometh. I am Orpheus, master of strings."

Minato stared up at Orpheus. He understood. This was his power. This was the power he needed to defeat the Shadow. This was...

An unbearable pain shot through Minato's head. Minato yelled as he fell to the ground, clutching his head head as it felt like it was being torn open from the inside. Something was inside. It was awake. It was trying to get out. It was crawling, scratching, biting, splitting.

Orpheus convulsed and cried out. Its head shot up, and a hand burst forth from its mouth. Then another hand shot out, and gripped the sides of Orpheus' mouth. With a cry, a large, monstrous entity burst forth from Orpheus, destroying him. This new being was horrifying. It was much larger than Orpheus. On its back were multiple coffins, held together by chains, and in its hand was a long sword. It was breathing heavily and its breath was visible. Then, it let out a ghastly wail and rushed at the Shadow.

With one swift strike, it slashed the Shadow, cutting it's mask in half. The Shadow began to convulse, but the new Persona grabbed one of it's tendrils and squeezed it into nothingness. It started to grab multiple tendrils and started to devour the Shadow until nothing was left of it accept a strange, gooey substance. Once the Shadow was destroyed, the Persona turned and stared at Minato, who was on the ground, staring back at it. The Persona began to shake, and it slowly dissolved, and in its place was Orpheus.

Minato was breathing heavily. He slowly stood to his feet as Orpheus vanished into thin air. Minato smirked, but he was unable to support himself and fell to the floor, dropping the gun. He was utterly exhausted and could barely remain conscious. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and looked over to see Asuna and Yukari. He smiled. They were safe.

"Is it over?" Yukari asked hesitantly.

Another sound rang out. Yukari and Asuna jumped and saw some smaller Shadows emerge from the goo of the larger one. Three in all. They turned their sites to the group and started to approach.

Yukari gasped, "No... G-Get away from us!"

Minato tried to reach for the gun, but his arm was too weak, and it fell helplessly in front of him. Despite his body's protests, he tried with all his might to get up. He pushed himself up to his hands and knees. He reached out to the gun and was able to touch it. But a hand had appeared over his and gripped his. Minato looked up to see that the hand belonged to Asuna.

"A-Asuna-san," he managed to croak. His throat was terribly dry and it felt like a thousand needles were lodged in it.

Asuna easily took the gun from his hand, "You've done enough, Minato-kun. This time, I'm going to protect you!"

Despite his silent protests, she stood up and walked towards the Shadows. Yukari was yelling at her to come back, but her pleas fell on deaf ears. She stood between them and the three Shadows. The Shadows seemed to dance around, scanning Asuna. Asuna, despite her shaking legs, stood tall. In a swift movement, she drew the gun to her head and pulled the trigger.

"Persona!"

The shot rang out, and a blue light shot up around her. A being burst forth from nothingness and stood tall in the air. Minato heard Yukari gasp.

"W-What!? How is that possible? It's..."

Minato stared incredulously at the Persona floating above Asuna. It was part woman, part machine. It had long, flowing, crimson hair and piercing blue eyes. On it's back was a large lyre. The entity spoke in a voice that sounded like Asuna's.

"Thou art I, and I am thou. From the sea of thy soul I cometh. I am Orpheus, master of strings."

Orpheus took its lyre from its back and played a chord. Suddenly, fire shot out from the strings and set the three Shadows aflame. Two of them melted, while the third remained. It jumped at Asuna, but Orpheus swung its lyre, crushing the Shadow and causing it to disintegrate. Orpheus vanished, leaving only Asuna, Yukari and Minato on the roof.

Asuna let out a loud sigh and fell to her knees, dropping the gun. Yukari ran over to her, grabbing her shoulders and checking to see if she was okay. Asuna nodded, and, with Yukari's help, was able to get back on her feet, though she leaned on Yukari for support.

'_You have the same Persona as me, Asuna?' _Minato wondered,_ 'Maybe you weren't too far off when you said that out meeting was fate.'_

Minato could no longer support himself, and he fell back to the ground. As he slowly lost consciousness, he heard the sound of a door opening and people running. He also heard a voice, which sounded almost like Yukari's.

'Are you okay!? Come on...! Please... Can you hear me!? Answer me!'

Minato was far too tired to listen to Yukari, and he let the darkness take him.

* * *

**A/N: Holy Crap! That was super fast! Two updates within a week? I'm really surprised. I forgot how long the prologue of Persona 3 was. And, we're not even done! I have a feeling this is going to be a really long story~! Minato and Asuna awakened to the power of Persona. But, why do Minato and Asuna have the same Persona? Hmm~! Interesting~! Also, how does the story feel so far? I'm kinda switching back and forth between different styles of writing, and it's really apparent in this chapter, as it's super long. Let me know what you guys think! ********Anyways, Enjoy! Read and Review! And, as always, Good Night, and Good luck!**


	3. Chapter 3

Minato found himself in a familiar room. His senses were dull, but as everything came into focus, he recalled where exactly he was. The Velvet Room. The mysterious room with the mysterious residents. He glanced up. Igor was sitting in his chair, with Elizabeth at his side. His head was throbbing. He placed his palm on his forehead in a futile attempt to soothe his pains. He was acutely aware of a strange presence in the back of his mind. He tried to reach out to it, but it seemed to evade his grasp, leaving Minato frustrated with a even worse headache. All the while, Igor was peering at him with his unsettling grin.

'_He's worse than Asuna.'_

"Welcome back," Igor finally greeted, "It's so nice to see you again. It seems you became unconscious after awakening to your 'power.' It's nothing to worry about, though. So, just relax."

Suddenly, cards appeared in Igor's hands. He shuffled through them playfully until he grabbed a card and placed it on the table. He gestured for Minato to pick it up, who reached out and grabbed the card and stared at the image printed on the front. His eyes widened. This was...!

"I see that it was Orpheus that heeded your call. That power is called a Persona. It is a manifestation of your psyche."

Minato stared at the card. This was his power. But that was as much as he understood about it.

'_It seems that every time I find an answer, I only get more questions.'_

Igor seemed to sense his confusion and chuckled, "It may take some time to fully comprehend. A Persona is a facet of your personality that surfaces as you react to external stimuli...You can think of it as a mask that protects you as you brave many hardships."

'_A mask, huh? I know all about masks.'_

"That being said, your power is still weak..."

Minato's head shot up, "Weak? How is this weak?"

Igor started to giggle with glee, "When you use your Persona ability, you must channel your inner strength. The ability evolves as you develop Social Links-your emotional bonds with others. The stronger your Social Links, the more powerful your Persona ability. Please remember that."

Minato felt his stomach lurch, _'Social Links? Bonds? I can't...I can't get attached. I never stay in one place. If I forge bonds, they just break. They always do.'_

Igor went on, unaware of Minato's silent struggle, "Time marches on in your world. I shouldn't keep you here any longer." He waved his hand and Minato felt the familiar sensation of leaving the Velvet Room. "Next time we meet, you will come here of your own accord. Until then... Farewell."

Minato didn't resist as the room faded into nothingness

* * *

**4/17 (After School)**

Minato's mind started to clear. His eyes opened, only to be blinded by a bright light. As his eyes slowly adjusted, he saw a white ceiling. He instantly knew where he was. A hospital. He felt his heart clench. This was an all too familiar sight that he was never welcome to see. It brought him back to the accident. His body tingled, and he wondered how long he had been out. It seemed like a short time, though Igor had told him that the Velvet Room was removed from time. He felt that he wasn't alone. He glanced down to the side of his bed to find Asuna asleep, her head resting on the foot of his hospital bed. To his left, he found Yukari on her cellphone.

'_What are they doing here?'_ he wondered as he tried to sit up.

The sound of movement drew Yukari's attention as she glanced up to see a fully awake Minato sitting in his bed. She slammed her cellphone shut and jumped up, "You're awake...! Um, how do you feel?"

Minato blinked lazily, "I'm pretty tired."

Yukari wasn't expecting that answer, but she laughed all the same, "I should have known. How much sleep do you need!? It's been a whole week." She glanced down at her feet, trying to obstruct her face, which had a faint tinge of pink, "...I was so worried about you..."

"Why?"

"You saved my life, you know... so I couldn't just leave you here." She looked back up at him, "The doctor couldn't find anything wrong with you. He said you were just exhausted... But, you kept sleeping and sleeping. You know how worried everyone was?" She lowered her gaze back down to the floor, "Um... I'm sorry I couldn't do anything... Even though I was supposed to protect you, I..." She trailed off, "But, your power... It was amazing."

Minato scratched his cheek, shrugging off the compliment, "What were those things?"

"You mean the Shadows? They're what we're fighting against. And the power you used... We call it 'Persona.'" She looked like she was going to say more, but shook her head, "We'll explain everything later. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before..." She paused, and Minato could see her struggle with something. She clenched her fists and took a deep breath.

"I, uh... I wanted to tell you that... I'm sorta like you. My dad died in an accident when I was little... And my mom and I aren't exactly on good terms... You're all alone too, right? To be honest, I already know about your past..." Minato tensed, "But, it didn't seem fair, so I wanted you to know about mine... It was back in '99... There was a big explosion in the area. Supposedly, my dad died in the blast, but nobody really knows what happened... He was working in a lab run by the Kirijo Group. So, I'm hoping that if I stick around long enough, I'll find out something. That's why I'm going to Gekkoukan High, and why I was there when this happened to you. Of course, I panicked and wasn't much help... It was my first time fighting them, too." She cast her eyes down, "I'm sorry... You wouldn't have to go through all this if I wasn't such a coward."

Minato let out a long breath, "It's not your fault, Takeba-san. I was scared, too."

"Really...?" This seemed to cheer Yukari up a bit, "But still, here I am telling you all this the minute you wake up. While I was waiting, I thought to myself, 'I've been hiding so many things from him... As soon as he wakes up, I'll tell him the truth.'" She gave him a small smile, "So, thanks for listening. I've been wanting to share that story with someone for a long time..." She let out a breath, and her trouble seemed to blow away. She stood up straight, "Alright, I'm going to get going. I'll let the others know you woke up. Take it easy, okay?"

"What about Asuna-san?"

Yukari blinked and remembered the slumbering girl in the room. She walked over and gently shook her. Asuna responded by turning away from her, groaning. Taken aback, Yukari shook her again, this time a little more forcefully, but Asuna refused to wake up.

"Asuna-chan? Get up."

"Mmmlet me shleep," she mumbled, half asleep.

"Asuna-chan? You can't sleep here. C'mon, Minato-kun's up!"

Asuna slowly lifted her head. Her hair was messy and sticking out in multiple spots. Drool was dripping down her lip onto a small pool on the bed. She blinked and turned to stare at Minato, who returned her gaze. She blinked again. Then, her eyes widened as her brain started working and she understood what was happening. She jumped to her feet with a squeak and started to fuss about, trying to fix her hair and clothes. Yukari giggled at Asuna, while Minato simply smirked. When she had regained some semblance of order she ran over and threw her arms around Minato.

"Oh, Minato-kun! You're up!" Her expression darkened, then she slapped Minato on the shoulder, "How could you do that to us!? We were all so worried about you! And you just slept and slept! You can't just up and do that!"

Minato chuckled, "It won't happen again, Asuna-san."

Asuna paused her emotional rant, confused. She stared at him, "Was that... a laugh?"

He made a gesture on the side of his mouth, "You still have some drool on your face."

Asuna reached up and felt the side of her mouth. She wiped the fluid off and looked down at the bed, finding a small pool of saliva that was starting to seep into the sheets. Her face turned into a shade similar to that of her hair as she clamped her mouth shut and sat back down in her chair, lowering her head to avoid eye contact.

Yukari giggled at Asuna's antics, "Well, as long as you're up," She waved at Minato, "Be a good patient!"

Yukari left and Minato and Asuna sat in silence for a while. Minato closed his eyes, enjoying the quiet.

"Um..."

He opened his eyes to find Asuna fidgeting in her seat. She stood up and faced him.

"Thanks for saving us that night."

Minato shrugged. He had heard enough thanks from Yukari, "It's fine. I did what had to be done."

Asuna shook her head, "But, how did you know it would work?"

Minato paused, trying to think of an excuse to tell her. Informing her about Igor and the Velvet Room would only cause more questions.

Before he could think of anything, she went on, "How would you have known what was going to happen? You took a big risk trying to protect us. And... I just... You looked really cool."

She was blushing again. Minato sighed. This girl was all over the place today. But, his thoughts lingered on what Asuna had said. He had saved them, that was true. But, he remembered, at the time, it wasn't what he was thinking about. He had simply wanted to defeat the Shadow, and protecting them came as a result. Her gratitude made him uncomfortable.

'_I'm not a hero.'_

"Did the others explain anything to you while I was out?" he asked.

She shrugged, "Sort of. They explained what a Persona is and what those creatures were, but they said that they would explain everything after you had woken up." She paused, "Hey, about... our Persona."

"Orpheus?"

Asuna nodded, "Yeah. We had the same Persona. Well, they were a little different. Mine had longer hair and was more colorful. It's strange. We have the same one. What does that mean?"

Minato didn't have an answer. And neither did she. They grew silent. Asuna sat back down in her chair, pulling her knees up to her chest and holding them. Minato blinked. He had expected her to leave as soon as he had woken up. Yet here she remained, and it looked like she didn't plan on leaving any time soon.

"You don't have to stay," he said.

Asuna turned to look at him, "Why, sick of me already?"

She wore a small smile. Minato noticed the bags under her eyes. It looked like she hadn't been sleeping much. Suddenly, things started to become clear.

"Have you...been staying here?"

Asuna shook her head, "Not all the time. I go to school and go back to the dorm. But..." She turned away from him, trying to conceal her blush, "I've been, um, here after school every day."

Minato's eyes widened in surprise, "Why?"

Despite her best efforts to conceal her face, Minato could tell that her face got even redder, "Because... I was worried. You didn't wake up. I just..." She lowered her voice to a whisper, and Minato barely caught what she said, "I wanted to stay by your side."

Minato scratched his cheek, "You're a strange girl."

Asuna looked up and stared at Minato, who was looking out the window. He wore the same neutral expression he normally wore, but she noticed something different. It was only slight and was gone almost as quickly as it appeared, but she had managed to catch it. She smiled as she tugged her feet closer to her body.

Minato had blushed.

* * *

**4/18 (Evening)**

Minato had been released from the hospital in the morning. Unfortunately, he still had to go to school. He had encountered Yukari at the school gates, where she had told him that Ikutsuki had wanted to talk to him and Asuna when they returned to the dorm. She didn't say why, but Minato knew what this was about. He would finally get some answers. The prospect of the meeting caused the day to drag on. And it didn't help that his 10 day absence seemed to fan the flames of the rumors surrounding him. Junpei had described some of the rumors, ranging from his involvement with a gang to being attacked for his "relationship" with Yukari. Asuna had found most of them amusing, and constantly brought them up throughout the day, which annoyed Minato to no end. When the final bell rang, he could not have left school any faster. The train ride back gave Minato time to think, but it didn't calm the storm of questions tumbling through his mind. An hour and a half later, they had arrived at the dorm. The two transfer students dropped off their bags and ascended the stairs to the 4th floor. When they entered the command room, they found Yukari, Mitsuru, Akihiko and Ikutsuki already seated. Noticing their presence, Yukari stood to greet them.

"Oh! There you are!"

Minato and Asuna sat down on the couch. Yukari was sitting next to them, and Akihiko and Mitsuru were opposite them. Ikutsuki sat in a large chair with a briefcase on one of the arms. He smiled at them.

"Ah, I'm glad that you are okay. The reason I asked you here is because I needed to talk to you." He paused and glanced at Akihiko, "Oh, before that. I'm sure I mentioned him, but this is Akihiko. Asuna, you've already met him."

Akihiko gave a small wave, "How ya doin'?"

Minato nodded and turned back to Ikutsuki.

"Let me start off by asking you a question. Would you believe me if I said that a day consists of more than 24 hours?"

Asuna crossed her arms, "More than 24 hours? Is that possible?"

It was Mitsuru that spoke up, "You've already experienced this firsthand. Do you remember the night you came here? You had to have noticed the signs... The streetlights went out... Nothing was working... There were coffins everywhere... Didn't it feel like you were in a different time...? That's the Dark Hour-a time period hidden between one day and the next."

Asuna's eyes widened, "Hidden? What do you mean?"

"I guess it's more like something people aren't aware of," suggested Ikutsuki, "But, the Dark Hour does exist. It occurs each night, at midnight. It'll happen tonight, and every night to come."

"Normal people don't realize it, since they're all sleeping inside their coffins," Akihiko added, "But, that's not what makes the Dark Hour so interesting. You saw those creatures, the "Shadows." They only appear during the Dark Hour, and attack anyone not in a coffin. It's our job to defeat them. Sounds exciting, huh?"

Mitsuru turned to Akihiko, "Why are you like this, Akihiko? You just got hurt the other day!"

Before Akihiko could defend himself, Ikutsuki jumped to his defense, "Now, now. He does his work well." He turned to the two transfer students, "Long story short, we're the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad-SEES for short. On paper, we're classified as a school club. But in reality this group is dedicated to defeating the Shadows. Mitsuru is the leader. I'm the club advisor."

"A Shadow," Mitsuru explained, "feeds on the mind of its prey; the victim becomes a living corpse. They're responsible for most of the incidents on the news, if all of them."

Minato contemplated Mitsuru's words, then asked, "How do you fight them?"

It was Ikutsuki who answered him, "Although rare, there are those who can function during the Dark Hour. Some may even awaken to a power that enables them to fight the Shadows. That power is a 'Persona.' That's the power you two used the other night. The Shadows can only be defeated by Persona-users."

Though Ikutsuki hadn't said it outright, Minato understood what he was getting at. It was all up to them, the people who had the power of a Persona. While Minato was mulling over what was said, Mitsuru grabbed the suitcase and placed it on the table in front of them. She unlocked it and opened the case, revealing two guns, similar to the one that Minato used on the rooftop.

"We want you to join us," Mitsuru stated bluntly, "We've prepared an Evoker for each of you. We'd like you to lend us your strength."

"Alright."

Everyone stared at Minato in surprise. The four members of SEES looked at each other. They weren't expecting Minato to be so sure about his decision. Minato grabbed one of the Evokers. The metal gun felt cold in his palm, but it seemed to fit perfectly, as if it was made for him. He felt a presence in the back of his mind brush against his consciousness, eager to be let out. He had the power to fight in the palm of his hand.

Asuna let out a deep breath. She stared at the Evoker with determination. She nodded to herself and grabbed the gun.

"I'm in!"

Yukari let out her held breath, "I was afraid you'd say no. Welcome aboard!"

Mitsuru nodded, "If you have any questions, feel free to ask."

Ikutsuki smiled, "Thank you so much. Oh, I almost forgot... About your room assignment. Why don't you stay here, in your current rooms? I don't know what the hold up is, but I guess it worked out it the end." He started to laugh.

Yukari glanced at him curiously, "Holdup? But, wasn't that..." She trailed off, then shook her head, "Oh, never mind. It doesn't matter anymore."

Everyone started to talk amongst themselves. Minato looked over the group. These people were fighting a war against an enemy that no one knew about. These people. He was going to be spending a lot of time with them; Ikutsuki, the Chairman with a penchant for horrible puns. Mitsuru, the leader who was elegant and fierce. Akihiko, the senior who loved to fight. Yukari, the girl who was struggling to find answers. Asuna, the mysterious girl that was tangled up in his life. He was a part of SEES, for better or for worse.

Minato felt his mind tingle. He heard a voice ring out in his head.

"Thou have established a Social Link of the Fool Arcana."

Minato froze. He felt the presence in the back of his mind surge for an instant. He could just picture Igor grinning at him

'_So, this is a Social Link'_ he mused,_ 'Bonds, huh?'_

Asuna seemed to catch Minato lost in thought and placed a hand on his shoulder. He glanced up at her. She smiled at him, "Isn't this good, Minato-kun? We can stop those things. And, we've made some friends."

Despite his doubt, Minato felt the corners of his mouth twitch. He nodded, which seemed to appease Asuna, who went back to talking to Yukari. Minato gave the group another once over.

'_Friends...'_

* * *

**Dark Hour**

"Hi, how are you?"

Minato's eyes shot open. He whirled around in his bed to find a small boy in his room. The boy wore a black and white striped outfit. This was-!

The boy jumped up on the side of Minato's bed and kicked his feet playfully. Minato just stared at the boy.

"How'd you get in here?"

"I'm always with you," he answered simply, as if it was obvious. "The end will come. I remembered, so I thought I should tell you."

Minato blinked, trying to understand what was happening, "The end?"

The boy nodded, "The end of everything. But to be honest, I don't really know what it is." He seemed to think about this for a time, but then turned to face Minato, "Oh, but it looks like you've awakened your power...and an unusual power it is. A power that takes many forms, yet is bound by none... It may prove to be your salvation, depending on where you'll end up."

Suddenly, the boy hopped off the bed. He turned around, "Do you remember when we first met? I expect you to honor your commitment. I'll be watching you, even if you forget about me." He grinned and waved at Minato, "See you later!"

The boy vanished. Minato groaned and saw that it was the Dark Hour. He thought back to the night when he first arrived here. He had met the strange boy when it was the Dark Hour then too. He tried to think on this more, but sleep was encroaching upon him, and he wasn't one to put up a fight when it came to this battle. He shut his eyes, determined to think on this more in the morning.

* * *

**4/19 (Afternoon)**

The sound of knocking roused Minato from his slumber. He groaned. Today was Sunday. It was supposed to be his day off since he had no school. He rolled over, determined to ignore the person on the other side of the door. However, strange sounds came from the floor below him. Was something happening in the lobby? Another knock.

"Hey, it's me," called Yukari, "Can you come downstairs?"

Minato heard her leave. He groaned again. He tried to get out of bed, but his foot got tangled in the blanket and he fell face first onto the floor with a thud. He wondered if it was possible to fall asleep in this position, but remembered that he was needed downstairs. He changed as quickly as his tired mind allowed and shuffled downstairs. He found everyone, save Mitsuru, already waiting.

Asuna giggled, "Morning, Minato-kun! Sleep well?"

He blinked lazily and didn't respond. That was answer enough.

Yukari turned to Akihiko, "Okay, we're all here. What's this about?"

Akihiko hopped off the couch and walked over to the door, "There's somebody I want to introduce." He opened the door and called out, "Hey, hurry up!"

"Hold your horses," a voice called back, "This is freakin' heavy."

The voice from outside cause Minato and Yukari to freeze. Asuna saw this and gave a silent laugh. From outside, someone walked in carrying a couple of suitcases. He set them down with a loud thud and grinned at the group.

"This is Junpei Iori from Class 2-F. He'll be staying here as of today," Akihiko informed the group.

"Wazzup!"

Yukari leapt to her feet, "J-Junpei!? Why is HE staying here!?"

"I bumped into him the other night. He has the potential, but he just awakened to it recently. I told him about us, and he agreed to help."

Yukari's eyes widened, "You have the potential!? For real!?"

Junpei rubbed his neck, "He found me cryin' like a baby at the convenience store, surrounded by a bunch of coffins. I don't remember much, but... man, that's embarrassing! He said that's, ya know, completely normal in the beginning. Like, bein' confused and not remembering anything."

Minato cocked his head, "That didn't happen to me."

"Me neither!" added Asuna.

Junpei paled, "W-What!? W-Well, it happens to everyone else... right? Well, I was shocked to find out about you guys. I had no idea. But, I'm glad I'm not the only one. It could get kinda lonely, ya know. I bet you're stoked too, right!? Havin' me join..."

"That's enough with introductions," interrupted Akihiko, "I think we're ready."

Junpei jumped at this, "We're gonna go do something? Sweetness!"

Akihiko nodded, "With this many people, we can start exploring THAT place."

Yukari gasped, "You mean... Tartarus...?"

"Tartarus...?" asked Junpei, "What's that? Sounds like a toothpaste."

Akihiko let out a sigh, "We believe that it's where we can find the reason for the Dark Hour."

"I hope so..." Yukari murmured.

"The Chairman will give us the details tomorrow night, so be ready." Akihiko grabbed his coat and ascended the stairs, leaving the four juniors together.

Junpei grabbed one of his suitcases, "Hey, so who wants to help me move all this stuff up to his room?"

Yukari jumped, "W-What!? Oh, uh, I have some... homework to do with... Asuna-chan! Isn't that right?"

Asuna quickly caught on and giggled, "Yeah, we got tons of homework. Good luck Junpei!"

The two girls jumped up and raced up the stairs.

Junpei turned to Minato, "Well, Minato? What do you say we..."

Junpei trailed off to find that Minato had fallen asleep on the couch. Junpei was stunned. When had he had the time to doze off? Huffing, Junpei grabbed all of his suitcases and made his way up the stairs, trying desperately to balance the suitcases, stumbling every few steps. When he was out of sight, Minato opened one eye to make sure that he was in the clear. He popped on his headphones and pressed play on his MP3. He started for the door, only to hear a loud crash and obscenities from upstairs. Minato shook his head.

"Godspeed, Junpei."

* * *

**4/20 (Lunchtime) **

Minato was roused by the bell, signifying morning classes were over. He stretched as the other students left to go about their usual lunchtime activities. He cracked his neck. He had quickly figured out earlier in life that naps were good, but he got the best sleep when it was during class. So, he had taken this knowledge and made sure that he was well rested each and every day. He noticed Junpei and Asuna talking about class, Junpei thanking Asuna for giving an answer when he was called on. Junpei and Asuna seemed to be becoming quiet good friends. He felt a twinge of jealously at their friendship, but quickly buried it. This wasn't the first time that he had been the transfer student, and he knew how things went. He'd move, he'd make friends, he'd leave, he'd be forgotten. Memories of faces he had once called "friend" flashed through his mind, but they blurred and contorted, and Minato couldn't make out their features. He sighed.

'_Bonds. Friendships. Social Links.'_

Yukari let out a mild yawn, "I thought I was going to fall asleep there..."

Asuna giggled, "It seems Minato-kun succumbed to that temptation."

"Hey, don't hate the guy," Junpei came to his defense, "Sleeping in class is the best sleep anyone is ever gonna get."

Minato gave a tired nod.

The classroom door opened, and the four juniors turned their attention to the entrance. Mitsuru strode in the room and stopped in front of their desks.

"Can I have a minute?" They all nodded, "Come to the lounge when you get back to the dorm. I have something to tell everyone." She turned on her heels and walked out of the room, not bothering with a farewell.

Junpei gave a low whistle, "Wow, she didn't waste any time leaving."

"She's probably busy with things like Student Council, unlike us," huffed Yukari.

"Whoa, Yuka-tan!" Junpei grinned, "Do I sense some hostility?"

Yukari shifted uncomfortably, "Well, it's not that I don't like her... She's just..."

The bell rang, signifying the end of lunch and the start of afternoon classes. Minato knew what Mitsuru wanted to talk about. They were going to talk about Tartarus and the Dark Hour.

* * *

**Evening**

After class, everyone returned to the dorm together. They sat in the command room, waiting for Ikutsuki to arrive. After a couple of minutes, he entered the room.

"Okay, everybody's here." He announced, "I'd like your undivided attention. Now, for a long time, Mitsuru and Akihiko were the only Persona-users we had. But, that number recently jumped to six. Therefore... Starting tonight at 12:00am, I'd like to commence the exploration of Tartarus.

Junpei raised his hand, "Sorry... I asked this yesterday, but what's this Tartarus thing again?"

Yukari looked at Junpei with confusion, "You... haven't seen it?"

Junpei shook his head.

Ikutsuki chuckled, "It's no surprise. It only appears during the Dark Hour."

"You can think of it as a Shadow nest." Akihiko added, "Interesting, huh?"

Junpei had a look of wonderment on his face, but Yukari looked concerned, "But, Senpai, what about your injury."

"Since Akihiko hasn't fully recovered yet, he'll only come as far as the entrance," explained Mitsuru.

Akihiko sank down in his seat, grumbling about something. Ikutsuki chuckled again, "I'm sure he won't complain, as long as you don't go too far in. Since we're dealing with Shadows, Tartarus isn't something we can avoid."

Junpei leapt to his feet and pumped his fist, "Don't worry, I have everyone's back."

Yukari groaned, "I'm not so sure about this."

Asuna giggled at Junpei's antics, but turned her attention to Ikutsuki, "Mr. Chairman, what about you?"

Ikutsuki laughed and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "I'll be staying here. I can't summon a Persona. But don't worry. I have the utmost faith in all of you."

* * *

**Late Night**

The group had followed Mitsuru and Akihiko on the train. Afterwards, they had walked for a while, though Minato had tuned out most of the walk, listening to his music. However, the bits and pieces that he could recall seemed oddly familiar. Finally, they had stopped in front of a familiar building. Minato paused the music as he stared at the building.

"This is it?" sputtered Junpei, "THIS is the place? Why here?"

Akihiko stared at his watch impatiently, "Just wait a minute. It's almost midnight."

Minato flipped open his phone. It read 11:59. Suddenly, it changed to midnight, and his phone shut off and he felt the familiar chill. The ground beneath their feet shook and there was a loud sound, the sound of metal grating against itself. A sudden blast of wind blew past the group. They stared at the building. It had split into multiple chunks and was rising out of the ground. It kept rising and rising and rising until they could no longer see the top. The large metal structure towered above them, and gave off an eerie aura. The school had changed into a monstrous and oppressing tower.

"This is Tartarus."

* * *

**A/N: Well, well, Chapter 3 is out. Ugh, this took a while. There's so much exposition before the game actually starts, and you take it for granted because you don't have to write it out. But, we've finally gotten to Tartarus! DUN-DUN-DUN! There's going to be some action to make up for just talking in the chapter. Hopefully it didn't bore me. I wasn't the biggest fan on the scene between Asuna and Minato in the hospital. I changed it 3 or 4 times before I settled on that one, and I still feel like it's wrong. Let me know what you guys thought.**

**However, the story seems to be doing alright for itself so far! Keep it up guys! It does my heart good to know that people enjoy this story. However, constructive criticism is always welcome. ****Anyways, Enjoy! Read and Review! And, as always, Good Night, and Good luck!**


	4. Chapter 4

"This is Tartarus-the labyrinth that reveals itself during the Dark Hour."

Minato, Asuna, and Junpei turned to Mitsuru in utter disbelief. Their school had just transformed into an enormous and monstrous tower right before their eyes. Akihiko looked as calm as ever, while Yukari fidgeted uncomfortably. They all stared at the tower in silence.

"What happened to our school?" It was Junpei that broke the silence.

"Once the Dark Hour passes, everything returns to normal."

Junpei nodded slowly, trying to take in everything. He removed his cap to scratch his head. He was about to put it back on, but he paused, "Why'd the school transform like this?"

Minato almost didn't catch it, but for a brief instant, the walls Mitsuru had placed around herself cracked. Her expression was still calm and collected, but her eyes gave way to her inner emotions. A flicker of guilt, pain, and determination flashed, only to vanish when she blinked.

She shook her head, "...Unfortunately, we don't know."

'_Don't know? Or simply won't say?'_ wondered Minato.

To his surprise, it was Yukari who came to Mitsuru's defense, "What does it matter? It's not like it would change our minds about fighting."

Akihiko nodded, "Mitsuru and I have only gone in to take a peek; this will be our first time exploring it." He grinned, "Exciting, isn't it? There has to be some sort of clue in here about the Dark Hour..."

Mitsuru smiled at Akihiko's enthusiasm, "While I respect your boundless excitement, Akihiko, you won't be accompanying us today."

Akihiko winced and grabbed his arm, "I know. No need to remind me."

Mitsuru led the way, and the rest of SEES followed her as they entered Tartarus. They were in a large room with strange designs on the walls and floor. In front of them was a large staircase that ascended into darkness. Next to it was an odd looking machine, but judging from the state of it, it was off, and had been for quite some time. The newer members of SEES looked around in amazement. Tartarus seemed bigger on the inside than it looked on the outside, and it was pretty big on the outside. Mitsuru pointed to the stairs.

"This is the entrance. The labyrinth lies beyond the doorway at the top of the stairs."

"First, we'll have you four get a feel for the place," explained Akihiko, "Why don't you go have a look around?"

Yukari's eyes widened, "By ourselves!?"

Mitsuru gave a small smile, "We're not asking you to go very far, and I'll be feeding you information from here."

Asuna gazed at Mitsuru in awe, "You can do that, Mitsuru-senpai?"

She nodded, "Yes. My Persona has the capabilities to provide support. However, since I must remain here and Akihiko is in no condition to fight, we must appoint a leader to make any necessary decisions."

Junpei perked up at the suggestion of a leader. His hand shot up and he jumped around, "OH! OH! Me me mememe! Pick me!"

Akihiko simply stared as Junpei bounced around with excitement, flailing desperately in an attempt to gain Akihiko's favor. His gaze moved from Junpei to the rest of the group. Finally, he stopped on Minato and stared at him for a few seconds.

"Arisato. You're in charge."

Junpei stopped jumping, staring at Minato incredulously, "W-Wait! Why him!? He's not leader material."

"But, he HAS fought them before..." Yukari added in a small voice.

Junpei's eyes widened, "Seriously?" He seemed less against the idea, but still looked unhappy with the decision.

"That's true, but there's another reason," Akihiko pulled out his Evoker and pointed it at his head. He stared at Yukari and Junpei, "Can you two summon your Persona without any difficulties?"

Junpei straightened, tugging his jacket, "Y-Yeah, of course I can!"

Yukari bit her lip, and nodded, "I think so."

Akihiko said nothing as he put his Evoker back into his holster, "These are Shadows we're talking about. Without your Persona, you're screwed." He turned his gaze to Asuna, who had remained quiet during the conversation, "Can you summon your Persona again without hesitating?"

Asuna nodded fiercely, "Yes, I can."

Junpei gaped, "W-What!? You too, Asuna-tan?"

Akihiko seemed to accept her answer, "Good. You'll be back-up."

Junpei shoved his hands in his pockets, but didn't say a word.

Minato felt a twinge of uncertainty when Akihiko declared that he was in charge. It was true that he had summoned a Persona and fought the Shadow, but he didn't know what he was doing. He glanced over the other members of SEES.

'_But, do any of us know what we're doing?'_

"I'll take charge," Minato declared.

Akihiko grinned and slapped Minato soundly on the shoulder, "That's the spirit! Now, get ready to begin the mission."

Everyone started towards the stairs leading up to Tartarus, but Minato paused when he saw something out of the corner of his eyes. He turned, half expecting to see nothing, but his eyes widened when he saw a strange blue door, identical to the ones he saw in his dream. The Velvet Room. Minato recalled that Igor had said that he would visit next on his own accord. He turned back to the group, but they seemed unaware of the door. Minato walked over to it and gripped the key tightly in his hand. He unlocked the door and entered.

The familiar sight of the Velvet Room and its residents greeted Minato. Igor glanced up and grinned at Minato, "I've been waiting for you."

He gestured towards the chair, and Minato sat.

"The time has come for you to wield your power," he began. "The tower that you are about to venture into... How did it come to be? For what purpose does it exist?" He giggled, "Regrettably, you are not yet capable of answering these questions. That is why you must be made aware of the nature of your power."

Minato watched as Igor waved his hand. A card appeared and floated over to Minato, who grabbed it and examined it. On the card was a strange image, but the number 0 was featured on the lower half.

"Your power is unique. It's like the number 0... It's empty, but at the same time holds infinite possibilities. You, my boy, are able to possess multiple Personas, and summon them as needed. And when you have defeated your enemies, you will see the faces of possibility before you. There may be times when they are difficult to grasp... But, do not fear. Seize what you have earned. Your power will grow accordingly... Be sure to keep that in mind. My spare time will soon be scarce. But, please, do come again. Then, I will demonstrate my true role. Until then... Farewell."

Minato absorbed Igor's words as he felt the familiar sensation of leaving the Velvet Room. When his senses started up again, he found himself staring at the blue door in the lobby of Tartarus. He blinked as he adjusted to the new surroundings. He turned to find Asuna at his side, a look of concern etched on her face.

"Are you okay, Minato-kun? You spaced out there."

Minato shook his head, "I'm fine. Just tired."

"Come on man," Junpei moaned, "You're s'posed to be our leader. Get your head in the game."

Yukari slapped Junpei's shoulder, "Cut him some slack. If nothing's wrong, then let's get going."

The four walked in tandem up the stairs and paused in front of the large door. With a breath, Minato reached up and pushed the door open. A cold air blew past them as the door swung open, causing them to shiver. Inside the door were more stairs, leading higher up into darkness. They paused, but they trudged onwards. They climbed the stairs and found themselves in a hallway. It looked similar to the school, but there was an eerie green tint and blood everywhere. The four gazed around, uneasy. A beep rang out in the corridor, causing Yukari to jump in fright.

**[Can you all hear me?]** Mitsuru's voice rang out.

Junpei turned to try and find where the voice was coming from, "Whoa! Is that you, Senpai?"

**[I'll be providing audio back up from here on out. This is part of my Persona's ability. You see, the structure of Tartarus changes from day to day, so outside support is imperative.]**

Yukari rolled her eyes, "Well, THAT makes me feel a whole lot better..."

There was some definite angst in Yukari's tone, but Mitsuru ignored it or simply didn't catch it.

**[Based on your current location, you can expect to encounter enemies at any minute. Proceed with caution when you engage the enemy. Practice makes perfect.]**

Just as Mitsuru had predicted, four small Shadows appeared from around a corner. They were the same as the Shadows that had appeared when Minato had destroyed the large one on the roof. The four assumed a battle stance. Minato's initial instinct was to draw his Evoker and destroy the Shadows, but he recalled that Yukari and Junpei had virtually no experience. He didn't like the idea of relying on them, but they needed to fight.

"Takeba-san, Junpei, engage the enemy!" He ordered.

Yukari whirled around, "W-What?"

In that instant, one of the Shadows lunged at them, eager to take advantage of Yukari's turned back. Minato cursed and raced forward. Yukari turned around and saw the Shadow fly through the air, claw raised and ready to strike. Minato shoved Yukari out of the way as the Shadow slashed at Minato, catching him on the shoulder. The force of the blow threw him back. He stumbled to the ground, but was able to catch himself. He stood up, ignoring the pain shooting through his entire arm. He drew his Evoker to the side of his temple. He pulled the trigger and Orpheus burst forth. It grabbed its lyre and swung it at the Shadow, crushing it into nothingness. Minato felt a wave of exhaustion rush over him, but he couldn't afford to collapse. There were three more Shadows. He turned to face the remaining Shadows, but one burst into flames. He turned to find Asuna and Orpheus behind them. Asuna gave Minato a thumbs up. Minato nodded. At least Asuna could fight. Minato turned to Junpei, who was staring at his Evoker. One of the Shadows danced in front of him, as if taunting him. Junpei gripped the Evoker and brought it up to his temple. His hand was shaking, but he managed to pull the trigger. The shot rang out as his consciousness shattered.

"HERMES!"

The Persona burst forth and hovered above Junpei. The Mechanical Persona had large golden wings attached to its wrists and ankles as well as its head. It raced forward and spun, slashing a Shadow faster that Minato could register. It finished spinning and posed, and the Shadow cried out as it was destroyed. Junpei started to pant and wiped the sweat from his forehead as Hermes vanished. The final Shadow paused, seeing the destruction of its three brethren. It slowly retreated. Junpei started to run after it, but collapsed. He was exhausted and in no shape to fight. Asuna ran over to him, Persona vanishing as she lost concentration. The Shadow turned around and started to flee. Minato began to give chase, but Yukari stood up and pulled her Evoker out. She raised it to the middle of her forehead and pulled the trigger.

"IO!"

Her Persona burst forth. It was a small girl in a pink dress sitting in the skull of a bull. All around her were chains, and it looked to be trapped. Io raised her hands and a blast of wind shot out and hit the Shadow, which dissipated as soon as the attack made contact. She was breathing heavily as well, but she remained on her feet. The four stood in the now empty hallway, all of them catching their breath. The sharp pain of his wound caused Minato to hiss as he clutched his arm, the pain returning. The other three noticed and went over to him.

"I'm sorry, this is my fault," Yukari muttered. She was avoiding Minato's gaze. "If I hadn't been afraid, you wouldn't have been hurt."

Minato tentatively flexed his right arm, but stopped as pain shot through it. It wasn't a serious wound, upon closer inspection, but it would leave a scar and would take a while to recover. He shrugged with his good shoulder, "It's fine. You needed experience. And I guess I was good enough motivation."

Yukari clenched her fists, "Yeah, but I didn't want you to get hurt! I've had my Persona longer, yet I'm letting everyone protect me. I want to pull my own weight. I want to help!"

Suddenly, the image of Io appeared above Yukari. It raised its hand and a strange light enveloped Minato. He gazed at his shoulder as it slowly mended, until there was no sign of any damage, save his torn shirt. He hesitantly moved it, but there was no pain. It was as good as new. Io vanished as soon as the light was gone.

"Whoa, Yuka-tan, how'd you do that?" asked Junpei incredulously.

Yukari stared at where her Persona had been. She shook her head, "I... don't know. I just thought about Minato-kun's wound and... my Persona appeared."

**[Is everyone alright? Is Arisato's injury severe?]**

Asuna shook her head, but remembered that Mitsuru probably couldn't see her, so she said, "No. One of the Shadows attacked him during the battle, but Yukari healed him afterwards."

**[I see. Well, let's go back to the dorms for tonight. Our goal for tonight was to gain some battle experience, and Takeba and Iori have both summoned their Persona. They are exhausted. There should be an access point around the corner to your right. See if you can activate that and return to the lobby.]**

The four stood up, but Yukari stumbled, likely due to the strain of using her Persona for the healing wave. Minato, being the closest to her, managed to catch her and keep her upright. She gasped at the contact, and quickly righted herself. She adjusted her sweater and quickly made her way to the front of the group, and Minato was barely able to catch her blushing. The four followed Mitsuru's instructions and found a device similar to the one in the lobby. Minato reached out and pressed the green button, and the machine whirred to life. A green circle enveloped the four, and the next thing they knew they were back in the lobby, where they were greeted by Akihiko and Mitsuru.

"Welcome back," greeted Mitsuru, "How was it?"

Minato shrugged, "No problem."

Mitsuru's mouth turned into a smile, "I see," she said with a hint of amusement, "Well, if you gained confidence, that's the best thing you could have achieved."

"Wow... I never knew I had that kind of power! We kicked some ass!" Junpei wore a tired grin.

Yukari rolled her eyes, "That's cuz you were bouncing around like a little kid."

Junpei shot her an annoyed glare, "You look pretty tired yourself, Yuka-tan."

"I'm still trying to catch my breath, actually..."

"That's the effect of the Dark Hour," Mitsuru explained, "You'll become fatigued more easily. You'll adapt, so don't worry. But, I am surprised. You all did much better than I expected." She turned to Akihiko, "They'll catch up to you at this rate, Akihiko."

Akihiko snorted, "We'll see about that."

The other members of SEES joked on, while Minato was left to ponder. Their first expedition into Tartarus hadn't gone as smoothly as he hoped, but they were all still here. Yukari and Junpei had taken their first steps and everyone seemed confident, especially the two seniors. Despite his hesitations, Minato had performed his job as leader. Everyone seemed to accept his leadership almost instantly, though Junpei had offered a little resistance. But his team had made a big first step. He paused. His team? When did he think of them as such? But as he watched the members of SEES playfully argue amongst themselves, he felt a twinge of happiness.

'_Maybe these bonds won't be such a bad thing.'_

He stared at SEES, vaguely aware of the voice that rang in his head.

"Thou art I... and I am thou... Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest the Fool Arcana."

He felt the corners of his mouth turn up into a small smile.

* * *

**4/21 (Early Morning)**

Minato let out a yawn as he walked the now familiar path to his school. The Dark Hour took a lot out of him and made him more tired than he usually was. He contemplated the best times to nap during the day when he heard footsteps approach him from behind. He turned to see a student approach him, a grin on his face. He seemed familiar, but Minato couldn't place him.

"Hey, you're Minato, right?" the student asked.

Minato nodded and the student's grin grew wider, "Man, I knew it. I heard from Junpei that you're pretty close to Yukari-san and Asuna-san. What's up with that?" The student shrugged his shoulders, "Well, I guess it doesn't matter. I'm looking for someone with a little more experience anyway." He extended his hand to Minato, "I'm Kenji Tomochika, by the way." Minato studied the hand, and accepted it. They shook as the first bell rang, "There's a morning assembly, so we better hurry."

Minato walked with Kenji to the auditorium. He recalled that Kenji was in his class as well, so they walked over to their section, where they found Yukari, Junpei, and Asuna waiting. Minato decided to make a tactical choice and sat next to Junpei. Asuna saw this and crossed her arms, huffing.

'_Sorry, Asuna-san,'_ Minato silently apologized, '_but my ribs can't take a beating today. Besides, I can get some sleep.'_

The assembly started shortly. A student started talking about class elections, which Minato learned were held when he was unconscious. The student ran through the list, naming every position and the student who filled them. He finally got to the president, who was Mitsuru. The school erupted in applause that almost drowned out most of the sound.

"So, she did get elected," Yukari mused, "Well... I guess she IS the most popular girl in school."

Junpei nodded in agreement, "You can say that again! There's like some kinda aura around her... Besides, this school's owned by the Kirijo Group, right?"

Yukari's expression darkened as she crossed her arms, "Yeah, I try not to think about that."

Minato turned his attention back to the stage as Mitsuru gave her speech.

"As I begin my term as Student Council President, I'd like to share with you my vision for this coming year. It is my firm belief that each of us must accept the responsibility of bettering our school. However, change cannot occur without sustained effort and an unprecedented level of commitment. That is why we must restructure our daily lives to accommodate this lofty goal. I'd like each of you to dig deeply into your well of motivation, and re-evaluate your convictions... To imagine a bold new future without losing sight of the realities around you. That is the key. I am certain that many of you have your own visions of the future... For us to reap the full benefits of our education, your participation, ideas, and enthusiasm are essential. Thank you."

As she stepped back from the podium, the student body erupted into another loud cacophony of cheers and applause. Junpei's jaw dropped after the speech.

"Dang... That was freaking amazing! So... Do you have any idea what she just said."

Minato tilted his head in contemplation. She hadn't read from a paper, so she had it memorized, or simply said it off the cuff. But, the fact remained that it seemed a little extreme for a high schooler to say. However, from what he gathered of Mitsuru in their short time together, she seemed like someone who knew exactly what she wanted, and was not afraid to take charge and achieve it.

"I was sleeping."

Junpei turned to look at Minato like he was crazy. Asuna heard Minato's lie and whispered something into Junpei's ear. After she was done, he snickered. He shot out his elbow and caught Minato in the ribs. Minato let out a strangled cough as the blow hit. He turned and glared at Junpei, who gestured his head to Asuna, who was staring off innocently. Minato groaned. This girl was going to be the death of him.

* * *

**4/22 (Early Morning)**

Minato walked to school, only to be stopped by Kenji once again. He waved a hand, and Minato popped one of his headphones off.

"What's up, Minato?" Kenji looked around, "You're all by yourself? Dude, I thought the rumor about you and Yukari-san was true."

Minato shrugged, "It's just a rumor."

Kenji chuckled, "Oh yeah? Well, it's not like I care or anything. But, you've sure had some bad luck since you transferred here. You know, dude, all the weird stuff that's been happening... How everyone's been saying they're hearing strange voices..." He grabbed one of Minato's headphones and yanked it, pulling the other one off, "I guess since you're always listening to music, you probably haven't heard anything."

Kenji laughed and ran off into school. Minato let out a weary breath. Kenji was too much in the morning.

* * *

**After School**

Minato walked through the entrance to the school and started back to the dorm. As he made his way, he saw Akihiko come out, only to be surrounded by girls, squealing his name and getting extremely close. Uncomfortably close, if he could judge by Akihiko backing away. Minato felt someone stop beside him, and he turned to find Junpei with a look of utter longing on his face.

"Have you noticed how popular Akihiko-san is with the ladies," he moaned, "I didn't use to talk to him much, but now I've got a good excuse. I know he's the captain of the boxing team but... Who woulda thought he'd be such a chick magnet!? I mean, come on! You don't even see girls flock like that on TV!"

Akihiko made to leave, but the girls started to follow him. He glanced up and saw Minato and Junpei standing to the side, and gave them a wave. He jogged ahead of the girls.

"Hey, what do you guys say we go to Tartarus tonight?"

Junpei pumped his fist, "Hell yeah! We've got to make some serious waves! Hermes is aching to get back out there."

"Why are you so eager?" inquired Minato.

Akihiko cracked his knuckles, "We haven't had enough people to go into Tartarus before. Even though I can't join in the front lines, I don't think you should slack off. The more you fight the Shadows, the more experience you get, and the less tired you become when you use your Persona."

Minato nodded. Junpei noticed the group of girls gathering behind them, "Well, we won't keep you from your friends, Senpai."

Akihiko blinked, and turned to see the girls. He rolled his eyes, "Who, these girls? I don't even know their names. They talk so much they give me a headache." He gave them a wave and started to leave, but turned back and called, "Remember, tonight! Don't be late!"

The girls cried out as Akihiko left, bemoaning the fact that he was so cold, but that only seemed to make them more determined. They returned back inside, leaving an incredulous Junpei and disinterested Minato.

"How can he not know their names!?" Junpei yelled, "I mean, seriously! Just look at them." He kicked his feet. "I'm gonna take off, since I'm in a bad mood now." Junpei up and left, leaving Minato by himself.

He took it in stride and reached for his MP3, only to find Kenji running up to him. Kenji wore that smirk he always seemed to have.

"Hey, man, I'm getting some ramen after school. You wanna come?"

Minato blinked. Kenji had been awfully forward the past couple of days, and it was throwing Minato for a loop. He was reminded of Asuna.

"Why are you asking me?"

Kenji thought about it for a few seconds, "No reason, really. I just don't have anything to do later..." A sly grin appeared on his face, "And I thought we could finish our conversation from this morning. So, whaddya say, man? Let's get some ramen and talk."

At that moment, Minato could feel his stomach rumble, causing Kenji to laugh. He was hesitant to accept his offer, but Minato recalled what Igor had said about Social Links and the strength of his Persona. He thought back to SEES and the voice ringing out in his head.

"Alright, let's go."

Kenji clapped Minato on the shoulder, "Good man! C'mon! I know this great place. Let's go."

Minato followed Kenji to the Iwatodai strip mall. They entered a ramen shop called Hagakure. They sat down at the counter and Kenji ordered two bowls. They arrived shortly afterwards and the two boys dug in. Kenji began to eat with gusto, slurping and chugging the noodles and broth. Minato, however, ate at a steady pace, not as fast as Kenji, but he was making a sizable dent in a short period of time. Kenji let out a loud gasp as he came up for air.

"Whew! Now that's what I'm talkin' about! Well, was I right, or was I right? This ramen tastes great, doesn't it? I bet they put a special ingredient in it-something no other ramen shop uses. It's probably some sort of secret spice." He stopped, then rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "Sorry, I get all geeked up when I eat here."

Minato raised his hand and gestured at the man behind the counter. Kenji saw that Minato had finished his bowl and had now ordered another. Kenji frowned and turned back to his bowl.

"Yeah, man, you're right. If we talk too much, the noodles will get soggy." He began to shovel the rest of the ramen into his mouth and slammed the bowl to the counter. He raised his hand and the man took his empty bowl. Kenji stared at Minato, who was watching the chef prepare the bowls with a look of indifference. Kenji chuckled to himself, which drew Minato's attention.

"You don't look like the type of guy I'd normally hang around with. But, I guess looks aren't everything."

Minato gave Kenji a small nod as two more bowls were placed in front of them. Kenji decided to slow his pace to match Minato's. They sat in silence for a few minutes, enjoying and savoring the ramen. it was Kenji that broke the silence.

"I hear you and Yukari are close. Damn, man, you move fast! I mean you just transferred here. I can't blame you, though. A man's gotta be aggressive nowadays." He slurped up a noodle and reached into his pocket and drew out his phone. He flipped it open and slid it across the counter to Minato, who glanced at it. The screen displayed a new contact menu.

"Let's hang out after school again sometime," Kenji offered. "We'll get some food and I'll tell you about my secret plan. Wait 'til you hear it, dude. You're gonna flip!"

Minato contemplated this as he chewed on a slice of meat. He picked up Kenji's phone and entered his name and number into his contacts. When he was finished, he gave the phone back. Kenji shoved the phone back into his pocket and went back to eating the ramen. As Minato finished his second bowl, he heard a familiar voice ring out in his head.

"Thou art I... and I am thou... Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest the Magician Arcana."

Minato blinked. The Magician? This was a different arcana. He felt an odd sensation in the back of his mind, as if something was trying to surface from below an ocean, but couldn't. It made the back of his head itch. He'd have to ask Igor about this when he went to Tartarus later tonight, he decided. But first, there was another bowl calling his name.

* * *

**Dark Hour**

The members of SEES entered the lobby of Tartarus. Mitsuru and Akihiko went to go set up their equipment, while Yukari, Junpei, and Asuna talked amongst themselves. Minato spied the familiar blue door and entered the Velvet Room. Igor and Elizabeth were in their familiar positions. The sound of the door opening caught Igor's attention, who smiled as Minato entered and sat down in the chair across from him.

"Ah, there you are. Welcome to the Velvet Room. Well... I suppose it's time for me to explain what I am really doing here. You see, it is my job to create new Personas. But, in order to do that, you must establish Social Links and cultivate them. I see you have already formed a new one. The Magician."

He raised his hand and on the table appeared an odd symbol. It spun and glowed, and a single card rose from the center of it. It floated up and over to Elizabeth, who had a large book open. With one quick movement, she caught the card between the pages with a loud thud. The book glowed for an instant, but then grew dark. She opened it and a Persona leapt forth off the pages. This Persona was small. It had a pumpkin for a head and wore a pointed hat. It had no body, wearing a cloak instead. It had only one hand, and in that hand was a lantern.

"Ah, I see it was Pyro Jack who answered your call. As your Social Link grows, so will Pyro Jack. Remember that."

Minato stared as Pyro Jack's card appeared in his hand. He stared at the card as it vanished. He felt a tingle in the back of his mind. Two distinct presences were there. Orpheus and Pyro Jack. Minato smiled. His power was growing. He was going to enjoy testing out his new Persona tonight. He left the Velvet Room and ascended the stairs to Tartarus with Asuna, Junpei, and Yukari.

* * *

**A/N: Aww, yeah! Chapter 4 baby! We just finished the prologue of Persona 3! Minato finally learns about Social Links and Wild Cards. And we get another battle scene. In the game, it's a bunch of tutorials, so I figure that in a "real" world scenario, it would be for Junpei and Yukari to finally summon their Personas. Personae? Hmm... I don't rightfully know. And, we see a definite shift in Minato's personality. He's warmed up to the idea of making friends with people, but he still has that cold and calculating aura around him. Not a lot of Asuna in this chapter. So sad~! But, next chapter we have Minato joining a sports team! Maybe Asuna will come along for the ride, who knows!**

**Also, thanks to those who reviewed! It means a lot to me and I read everyone and take them into consideration. ********Anyways, Enjoy! Read and Review! And, as always, Good Night, and Good luck!**


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